Alison Dorris graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2010. After spending a year working at an engineering firm, she decided to pursue an advanced degree at Tennessee Technological University. While there, she studied under the direction of Dr. Sharon G. Berk at the Center for Management, Utilization, and Protection of Water Resources.

Dr. Berk’s laboratory allowed Mrs. Dorris to become skilled in isolating and culturing marine and freshwater protozoans in laboratory and alternative media. Mrs. Dorris’s research aided in furthering a patent pending and novel alternative biofuel. Also while at Tennessee Technological University, she discovered her passion for teaching.

Upon graduating, Mrs. Dorris worked at an environmental laboratory as an assistant biologist where she was trained and certified in areas of aquatic toxicology, microbiology, mold, and EPA Method 1622/1623. During her time as an assistant biologist, Mrs. Dorris was asked to serve as an Adjunct Instructor at Cumberland University teaching Human Anatomy and Physiology. After leaving the environmental laboratory, she took several graduate courses at Middle Tennessee State University. Subsequently she was asked to teach as an Adjunct Instructor again at Cumberland University.

Mrs. Dorris now serves as a full-time Instructor of Biology and as the Program Director of Associate of Science. Mrs. Dorris currently teaches biology for non-science majors, human anatomy and physiology, and aquatic biology. Mrs. Dorris is a member of the Tennessee Academy of Science and faculty advisor for Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society.

In her free time, Mrs. Dorris enjoys running, playing golf, baking, watching old movies, and spending time with her family.

Poster Sessions:

Dorris, A. (2014). Developing Protocols for Use of Tetrahymena as an Alternative Biofuel Organism. American Society for Microbiology 114th General Meeting, Boston, MA